Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 32 Falling

The second master's servant, after receiving instructions in front of the carriage, hurriedly left with the name card in hand.

The carriage continued on its way and arrived at the Yang family's gate. Yang Ji first bent down and got out of the carriage, then turned around and helped the two old men down.

The moment his feet touched the ground, the second old master stared at the steward who came out to greet him and said in a deep voice, "What's going on?"

Guan glanced at the soldiers at the door, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes: "The wife of the third son and the sixth son, accusing a wife of stealing valuables from the house."

The second master was clearly not satisfied with the steward's report, as it was all vague information without revealing any inside details.

“Grandfather, don’t worry,” Yang Ji said. “Since it’s a matter concerning the inner quarters, we can find out by asking Second Aunt.”

When he left home, Madam He's face was covered in blood and she looked panicked. He felt that Madam He couldn't cause any trouble, so he went to find his grandfather with peace of mind.

Based on his understanding of Madam He, all she could do was swallow her anger. Now that she had suddenly stepped forward, there must be some reason. What he should find out more was whose advice Madam He had taken to hand over the power of management to Madam Xie.

The second old man frowned: "Wouldn't it be better to have your second uncle come and give the answer?"

Yang Ji's eyes flashed, and he looked at the soldiers at the door with a strange expression on his face. Although he did not refute them, he had already made his meaning clear.

The second old master's face was even more unpleasant. Ji-ge was afraid that the second brother, that beast, was colluding with He Tan.

The current chaos may simply be a staged performance by them.

How did a woman who had just entered the Yang family obtain the power to manage the household? She knew nothing about the Yang family, so how dare she find fault with the husband's wife? She even alarmed the patrol and inspection department.

The second old master gritted his teeth: "What audacity!" This is someone who is willing to trade the entire Yang family for their future. No wonder he was able to become the deputy magistrate of the district.

Since they had doubts about Yang Mingjing, they naturally had to test He Shi first.

"Are any officials coming to visit our home?" Yang Ji didn't forget to ask the steward.

The steward immediately replied, "It's Inspector He; he's in the main room."

With his suspicions confirmed, Yang Ji's expression became even more serious: "Go and report to Inspector He that the old master has just returned and went to pay his respects after changing his clothes."

The manager responded.

This was all to buy time. By the time the second master came out to see He Tan, he had already figured out the general situation, and the old man the servant had gone to fetch had also arrived.

The three elders were no longer appointed in Daliang Township and its neighborhoods, but Inspector He still had to give them some face in front of all the elders in Yong'an Ward.

Yang Ji hoped that this matter could be resolved smoothly, that his family could remain safe and sound, and that he would not offend He Tan.

It's important to know that behind He Tan is not only the He family, but also the illustrious Wang family.

The second master and Yang Ji went straight to the main house. Before they even entered the courtyard, they saw the steward from the old lady's room walking quickly towards them.

Seeing the fearful look on the steward's face, the second master immediately flew into a rage: "Where are you going?"

The head housekeeper said anxiously, "The old lady has suddenly fainted. I'm afraid she has caught a stroke. We're about to go and fetch a doctor."

Yang Ji's eyes flickered. He remembered that this steward was his grandmother's most capable person. She usually only assigned tasks to others. Now that his grandmother was ill, how could she not stay by her side?

"Where are the others?" Yang Ji asked. "Why did Mother come out in person?"

The steward's eyes were bloodshot: "There's trouble in the house. The old lady ordered the steward to ask Liu Lang's wife about the situation, but Liu Lang's wife punished him according to family law. We still don't know if he's alive or dead. The old lady then sent the head maid to demand his return, but she was also taken down and caned. Liu Lang's wife even spread the word that they were accomplices who were helping the wicked."

"The old lady fainted from anger because of this."

"Bring that Xie woman to me," the second old man said, his eyes wide. "I want to question her."

The steward said with a bitter face, "The flower hall is closed, and no one can get in."

“This is the Yang family,” the second patriarch said. “Are we going to let a madwoman run rampant?”

The steward pursed his lips: "I went to ask, and Liu Lang's wife said... she is the steward, and she holds the waist token given by the clan, so she has to manage the household affairs. Now that a major incident has been discovered, she has to figure everything out and help Yang Shi get through this difficult time. Until then, the flower hall is only for entry and not exit."

The two old men said, "You're just going to listen to her?"

The steward's eyes flickered: "Second Madam is ill. Fang Fangzheng came to the house and called Second Master over. There are also military patrolmen guarding the entrance to the flower hall. I tried to give them some money to bribe them, but the military patrolmen refused to accept it and even wanted to punish us for bribery."

Yang Ji interjected, "Has Second Uncle been to the flower hall?"

The steward replied, "They went and came out in about two quarters of an hour, but they couldn't bring out Liu Lang's wife."

Why was Yang Mingjing allowed to enter and leave the flower hall? The second old master looked at Yang Ji, and just as he had guessed, the one causing trouble was not Xie Shi, but Yang Mingjing.

“This is a case of a traitor within the family.” The second old man looked at Yang Ji. Yang Ji could no longer maintain his composure, and his face turned gloomy. He turned to look at the attendant beside him, who nodded and turned to walk out.

Yang Ji thought it over carefully. Even if his second uncle made a move, as long as he didn't go to the manor outside the North Gate, they wouldn't be able to find anything.

That manor must be unknown to anyone.

Thinking of this, Yang Ji's eyelids suddenly twitched.

……

Yang Mingjing and Fang Fang were talking when a servant came to report, "The Second Master has returned."

Yang Mingjing couldn't help but take a deep breath.

Seeing this, Fang Fangzheng said, "You must know something happened at home. Do you want to go over and talk to them?"

Yang Mingjing interrupted, "Inspector He is here, so we should go see the Inspector first."

Fang Fang looked at Yang Mingjing, who was covered in cold sweat, and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Yang Mingjing's back was tense, a chill slowly creeping up from the soles of his feet, as if a centipede was crawling on him, making him tremble with fear.

Even though she had been out of the flower hall for quite some time, she still couldn't shake off Xie Yuyan's question.

Looking at the main room in front of me, the door seemed to lead to the gates of hell.

But no matter how unwilling he was, he had to go in.

"Let's go then," Fang Fang urged, "Don't keep the inspector waiting."

Fang Fang took the lead, and Yang Mingjing followed blankly, but with each step, Xie Yuyan's calm face flashed through his mind.

His intention was to stop Xie from causing further trouble, but Xie calmly asked him, "Second Uncle, have you thought this through? Whatever the outcome, can you bear it?"

It's just a dispute within the Yang clan. Can't a clan leader handle it?

But what Xie said next almost scared Yang Mingjing out of his wits.

"Does Second Uncle know why Daming Prefecture suddenly established a patrol office and sent Inspector He here?"

Yang Mingjing naturally knew this. It was true that the Yang family were just small merchants, but the high-ranking officials and nobles of Daming Prefecture were willing to give them a meal, so they were not short of sources of information.

He Tan came to investigate the collusion between military officers and merchants.

Xie Yuyan continued, "The court has gone to such great lengths, there must be a response. Inspector He is no exception; having come to Daming Prefecture, he must accomplish something to report back."

"Arresting an ordinary merchant is not enough to appease the imperial court."

Yang Mingjing still didn't understand what Xie meant when he heard this.

However, what followed terrified him.

"However, the fact that a merchant who also served as the deputy magistrate of a district was arrested should prove that the Daming Prefecture government was negligent in its duties, thus proving that the court was right to establish the patrol and inspection office."

Xie's expression remained unchanged; she merely glanced at him indifferently. Yet, Yang Mingjing felt as if that gaze were a sharp weapon, piercing right into his chest.

Then Xie's lips parted again: "If there aren't enough deputy ward envoys, then promote them to ward envoys and then arrest them."

Yang Mingjing's legs suddenly buckled.

"Second Uncle," Xie Yuyan said, "I heard that Fang Fangzheng is getting old and suffering from old ailments. He should step down from the position. Second Uncle may be promoted soon."

After saying that, she handed the note to Yang Mingjing: "Second Uncle, take a look!"

Yang Mingjing couldn't remember how he picked up those papers or how he read them one by one from beginning to end. He only knew that the thick stack of papers felt like a piece of red-hot charcoal in his hand, burning him painfully.

Yang Mingjing snapped out of his daze, but what came into his view was Fang Fang's graying hair.

He used to hope that Fangfangzheng would step down, but now he wished he could kneel down and pray to the gods and Buddhas to keep Fangfangzheng healthy and safe and to let him manage Yong'an Ward for a few more years.

Yang Mingjing was walking unsteadily when he lost his footing as he stepped over the threshold. He tripped and fell forward.

Yang Mingjing fell heavily to the ground, ignoring the pain; he was simply terrified. This fall seemed like a premonition…

From then on, he fell into a hellish abyss, never to rise again.

(End of this chapter)